Democrats worry they may not have backing to pass unemployment benefits extension

Nati Harnik, APLawmakers gave first-round approval to a measure that would allow the state to accept $43.6 million in federal stimulus money that business leaders had previously rejected. They were concerned it would increase costs of unemployment insurance, but Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha says the business community now supports taking the money.
Democrats were able to get the support from four Republicans needed to take up the proposed extension of unemployment benefits. Whether or not they will have enough votes to get it past GOP opposition is the hurdle they are now facing.

Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snow of Maine, George Voinovich of Ohio and Scott Brown of Massachusetts added their votes to the 56 Democrats who voted to bring up the bill.

Republicans say they don't oppose the extension for the over 200,000 unemployed Americans who had their benefits expire on April 5; they just want Democrats to find a way to fund the $10 billion it will take to cover the one-month extension. Democrats say that cutting the spending needed to pay for jobless benefits would take away the money's stimulating effect on the slowly recovering economy. The average benefits check is around $300 per week.

Democrats say they aren't very confident that they will be able to secure the 60 votes they need to get the extension bill through the Senate later this week.

Another one million unemployed Americans could see their unemployment checks stop at the end of this month unless Congress acts on the extensions.